QWC 13

teabagyokel

#dejavu
Valued Member
So, its time for the 2013 Qualifying World Championship. Here we award race Championship points to the top qualifiers and see who comes out on top. In 2012, Lewis Hamilton stopped Sebastian Vettel becoming a quadruple qualifying World Champion, so lets see what happens this year, starting with the results from Melbourne and Sepang.

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Sebastian Vettel rockets to the maximum score after two races. Massa takes 2nd just in front of Webber, Hamilton and Alonso. There are 12 drivers to register thus far.

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Those 12 drivers from just the 6 teams, with Red Bull leading the way. Ferrari and Mercedes look set to battle for second, although some dry running might be instructive...!
 
I think either of the Mercedes drivers would have had pole if it were dry, looks like the Ferrari is possibly the next fastest car in the dry with Red Bull perhaps only being 3rd fastest. Lotus shouldn't be too disheartened either, Sunday is always their strength.
 
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So Vettel and Hamilton go joint top on 52 points each. Between them, they've won the title every year since 2007, so a titanic battle seems likely. Joint 3rd are the two Ferraris, with Raikkonen 5th and Webber and Rosberg in joint 6th as those 7 get away from the pack led by Romain Grosjean.

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Meanwhile, the teams are even tighter, with Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari all on 80 points apiece for the joint lead. Lotus in 4th are a considerable distance from 5th, with Sauber and Toro Rosso joining the points scoring party today.
 
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So, after Bahrain, it is Sebastian Vettel who heads into the lead above Lewis Hamilton. Rosberg passes Raikkonen and Massa to close considerably on Alonso for 3rd place, while Button takes a point out of Grosjean.

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With Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari starting effectively from zero, they make up the first three in that order after another good qualifying session for Mercedes. A bad session for Lotus means they fall further back from the top three, while a good session for Force India sees them leap both McLaren and Toro Rosso. Williams are still yet to appear.
 
So, the rain in Spain is mainly on Ferrari's parade...

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Both Mercedes drivers are now in irritatingly close distance to Sebastian Vettel in the QWC championship, with Alonso and Massa falling further behind. A disastrous session for Mark Webber sees him passed by Raikkonen, while Grosjean moves away from the pack.

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Mercedes' maximum means they are now handily clear of Red Bull and Ferrari, with the energy drinks conglomerate extending their gap by a single point over Ferrari. McLaren, meanwhile, take a point out of the Force in their impressions of two bald men fighting over a comb. QWC watchers are all now bored by Lotus.
 
Well, Monaco. Throwing up a surprise?

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Well, Nico is on three poles in a row so no surprise to see him take the lead from the level pegging pair of Hamilton and Vettel. Massa is, as quite often on the grid, one place behind Alonso. Raikkonen and Webber are level with a huge lead to the flotsam and jetsam at the bottom, with Jean-Eric Vergne now joining the party. Sadly, though, no red flag with a minute left, so no Van der Garde...

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Pending the results of any inquiries into the murky world of secret tyre tests, Mercedes are leading this one by a significant distance. Red Bull are pulling away from Ferrari, while Lotus plough a lone furrow in the middle.
 
The disparity between Vettel's position and Red Bull's distance from Mercedes is all down to Webber.
 
Brogan - Well, there'll be some excuse.

Also note the minimal contribution to Lotus' total from Romain Grosjean, which is unexpected since qualifying doesn't have a bunch start.
 
Beinvenue au Quebec!

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Vettel retakes the lead and Hamilton gets back past his team-mate in second. Alonso looks like he's rapidly heading into a class of one, while another no score from Massa allows Raikkonen to join him on 56 points. Their gap to Grosjean in 8th is still huge, while Bottas comes from no-where straight into 9th. Vergne now pulls level with his Toro Rosso team-mate.

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Mercedes' lead at the top remains handsome despite Red Bull's excellence. Ferrari are down to one car for the last few races, and it's showing, and the same problem has befallen Lotus. Force India edge ahead in their battle with McLaren while Toro Rosso find themselves a point down in a battle they didn't know they were having against Williams.
 
I just made a quick little table to compare the points tally for each team at this stage of the season from this year and last year. Pretty painful viewing for McLaren. I've sorted it by the ratio between this years points and last years points.

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Great Britain time:

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Lewis Hamilton takes he lead for the first time since his joint lead with Vettel at Shanghai, with Red Bull's contender staying ahead of Rosberg. In the battle for 5th, Webber catches up 11 points on fellow Flavio-ista Alonso, with Raikkonen nudging ahead of Massa. Grosjean's lead over the Force India drivers is narrowed, with Sutil just staying ahead of di Resta. Ricciardo joins Bottas on 15 points, passing both McLarens in the process.

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Mercedes' claim as the best constructor has been emboldened by that one-two, with Red Bull pulling further away from a disappointing Ferrari. Force India move clear of the pack for 5th place with Toro Rosso also passing McLaren.
 
Di Resta's demotion from Britain included here...
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Disaster! If, of course, you're Nico Rosberg, whose challenge is held up. Hamilton and Vettel have won this between them every year since 2007 (3 each) and look unstoppable. Webber gets past Alonso for 4th, while Massa finally gets on the board again in quali trim if he continues to insist on an early finish on Sundays. The challenge to Grosjean's lead for 8th has been seen off for now, while Ricciardo moves past Sutil for 9th. Bottas' one score of 15 points is now equal to Jenson Button's minor points accumulator, and Hulkenburg finally doubles his tally.

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Red Bull shave a smidgen off Mercedes' handsome lead while Ferrari and Lotus seem even more set for 3rd and 4th than previously. Toro Rosso edge in front of Force India, with McLaren still only taking minor points and thus stuck in the mud in 7trh place.
 
And they said it'd be a Red Bull whitewash...

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Lewis Hamilton extends a healthy lead over Vettel, while 4th isn't good enough for Rosberg. Alonso re-passes Webber, after another KERS failure, to take 4th. Grosjean is the big winner and seems to be making rapid progress since Britain towards the back of Massa.

Since Webber's retirement was announced, Ricciardo has jumped up into 9th place, a lead he extends from three non-scorers in Sutil, Bottas and Button. Perez ekes ahead of di Resta in the race for 13th.

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I don't think anyone expects the top 4 to fail to maintain their positions right up to Brazil. Toro Rosso extend their advantage over Force India and McLaren.
 
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For the fourth race running, 25 points to Hamilton and for the third on the spin it's Vettel taking the 18 as they both ease away from Rosberg whose 3rd looks lonely. Webber gets back past Briatore-mate Alonso with the movement lower down being third-rowers di Resta and Button passing Sutil and Bottas respectively.

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No movement at the top as the front two get ever further from Ferrari and Lotus, while the boys from Enstone edge closer to those of Maranello. Force India make hey when the sun doesn't shine and got past Toro Rosso, while McLaren are now within two points of Red Bull's second team.
 
Big week...

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Hamilton's hard-earned lead was thrown away in one foul swoop. Vettel takes it back by a point. Webber pulls away from Alonso as Massa catches up to within 3 points of Raikkonen. Ricciardo makes more headway for 9th, while Hulkenburg is of course the big mover, jumping fellow one-podium man Bottas and Perez' steady accumulation.

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Despite a bad week, Mercedes lead remains intact. Lotus progress towards Ferrari is almost destroyed in one fell swoop. Toro Rosso get back past Force India who now lead McLaren by one point, while Sauber leapfrog Williams into a deserved 8th.
 
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We take another step closer to Qualifying Winfinger of the Year for the fourth (but non-consecutive) time. Defending Champion Hamilton falls further down. Webber pulls yet further away from Alonso, who is again out qualified by Massa. Massa passes his replacement Raikkonen on the scoreboard as Grosjean takes a massive step closer to the top. And welcome aboard Estean Gutierrez, who picks up a point and leaves Maldonado, Pic, Bianchi, Van der Garde and Chilton alone on none.

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Mercedes stay in front of a rampant Red Bull in the Constructors' race, with Ferrari and Lotus somewhat matching each other. Toro Rosso have a one point lead over McLaren and a four point lead over Force India. Sauber nudge another point clear of Williams.
 
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